


Magic's Great Reveal

by HeruKane



Series: Merlin Effect (Empire of Albion) [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Albion, M/M, Magic Revealed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-15
Updated: 2017-05-15
Packaged: 2018-11-01 06:33:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10916292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeruKane/pseuds/HeruKane
Summary: This story showcases how matters might have been different in Merlin and Arthur just talked, and shared their thoughts in ways they didn't in canon. It also shows a redeeming Mordred, since I like the kid. Part of the Merlin Effect series within the greater Albion universe.





	Magic's Great Reveal

**Magic's Great Reveal  
\-------------------**

"I have magic."  
"Yes Sire, I have magic."  
"Please listen to me sire, I have magic."  
"Sire, the magic I have is entirely yours to do with as you see fit."  
  
"No, no no, that is not good. Fool, you can't just come out and say 'sire your manservant has magic' he will look at me like I am crazy. Though really when you think about it I am talking to myself, which is a sign of craziness."  
  
Merlin stops and laughs for a moment before beginning one of the other random projects that he has to work on for Arthur. Not that he will forget that the reveal needs to happen.  
  
8888  
  
"Look Arthur, I need you understand that everything I do, everything I am is yours. Its not that I didn't tell you cause I don't trust you, its just that its scary. To reveal the truth could shake up everything we are. It could be horrible."  
  
"No, that is not good. Too wordy, I doubt he will let me say all that when I bring forth the reveal."  
  
Merlin says before changing the mental subject which drawing the portrait of Arthur led him to. He figures he still has time to decide how it will go on.  
  
8888  
  
In a voice pretending to a girl, "Prince Arthur your manservant is a user of magic."  
  
And then again in his own voice, "She tells the truth, but sire, believe me, I have only used it to aid Camelot never to harm it."  
  
Merlin stops gathering the herbs, "Well that won't work, I could never assume that some witch would be the one who reveals me. Let me think of something else."  
  
And so Merlin continues to go picking herbs.  
  
8888  
  
Said in a deep manly voice, "Father, I know he has magic but he is a great person and you should spare his life because I love him and I need him and we are two sides of the same coin."  
  
Said in a slightly different manly voice. "My Son, you speak truth and I will listen to you. Your manservant is declared innocent and will not die by my hands. In fact let it be known that since there is love I must reconsider my thoughts on magic, and thus from this moment forward magic is now legal in Camelot."  
  
In his normal voice, "That is stupid. Why would it happen that way. No, no, no, rediculous."  
  
Merlin continues making bandages for Gaius in order to top off the supply of them to get ready for the next attack.  
  
8888  
  
Once again there is a false female voice, "Merlin, I know you love him, and that is okay. But I know you have magic and you will need to tell him."  
  
His normal voice continues, "But Gwen, I cannot tell him he will hate me."  
  
Then he stops and pauses. "No, bugger that, that is as stupid as the others."  
  
Merlin says as he is fetching water for Arthur's bath, its such a heavy bucket to be carrying in these back halls of the castle.  
  
8888  
  
When it happened it was not like anything he actually prepared or planned for. They were gathered in a forest clearing surrounded by various monstrous dog-cat-rabbit-owl looking creatures that wanted to eat their face. Merlin was tired, grumpy, and had been made fun of by Arthur for the last few hours since he got them lost. Well potentially lost, he still thinks he knows how to get away.  
  
Angry and in pain and just wanting to be done with it he finally snapped. His eyes grew golden, words in the Old Tongue were said, and a blast of energy washed over the clearing to form a dome of energy. Where the blast touched the monsters it turned them into the various animals that made up the monstrosities. Said animals than began barking, purring, hopping about, or even flying away right after they transformed.  
  
Merlin took a deep breath cause he was just done, when he turned towards Arthur who was looking at him with a smile on his face.  
  
"I have magic."  
  
"I know."  
  
Nothing more was said, at least not about that. Though Arthur did take the moment to hug Merlin, uttering a heartfelt thank you, which was kind of wierd.  
  
What was even more weird, at least to the residents of Camelot who didn't know about the reveal of magic, was when Arthur and Merlin came back to the castle hours later. That wasn't what was weird, no, the fact that they each carried dozens of rabbits on poles while being followed by an equal number of dogs and cats was. The dogs kept close to their heels while the cats took one look at the city and started disappearing throughout it.  
  
Standing on the balcony was King Uther who just looked at them, shook his head, and went inside.  
  
Merlin and Arthur shared a look and a moment, and all was right in the world.  
  
8888

  
"You will need to kill the boy! He will be the death of your Prince!"  
  
"What. Who do I need to kill?"  
  
"The boy Mordred. He is fated to kill Arthur."  
  
"Ah, fated, I see. Right." The sarcasm in Merlin's tone could not be missed.  
  
"Though you show disbelief fate has spoken and it will come to pass."  
  
"Why? Why will he be the death of Arthur."  
  
"Magic! The ban on magic within Camelot will poison the heart of the boy, making him go down a dark path."  
  
"Okay. So basically the darkness will come because Arthur won't know or accept magic. I'm assuming it will get even worse if he keeps the ban?"  
  
"Yes. That is what fate says!"  
  
Merlin nods at the great dragon. "Well, I will keep that in consideration."  
  
8888  
  
"So Arthur knows I have magic. He also accepts me entirely." There is a pause at this as he takes a breath. "He also knows about you." Seeing the look on Kilgharrah. "I refused to lie to him anymore. His acceptance of me means everything."  
  
"Well, young sorcerer, it seems that the winds of fate are starting to change. His knowledge of your magic, of the good of magic, was not always guaranteed."  
  
"Yes I am aware of that. Though I don't see as you do even I felt the changes in destiny the moment he knew I had magic." Merlin actually gets a big smile on his face. "Him knowing has taken a great load off my back. I still have to hide from others but no longer will I have to distract him personally when I need to do magic. But even more is that its not just acceptance but also a wish to learn more. He has already started to ask me about magical matters."  
  
"Well young warlock, it does seem that the future is looking a lot better than it was." Kilgharrah then nods regally before ending the conversation in the way he commonly does.  
  
8888  
  
"Arthur would like to meet you." Merlin says to Kilgharrah one day as the two are finishing their conversations.  
  
"I have no wish to meet the young Prince as of yet!" Kilgharrah says with a rumble of an undecipherable emotion.  
  
"Oh, really, and why is that. He isn't going to even attempt to harm you, he just wants to meet the dragon who constantly speaks of fate and destiny."  
  
"It is not time for that yet. Events must occur before the future King and I can meet."  
  
"Well, okay, for now. But know this - he does believe its time, and he has come to accept your presence. This even includes the fact that you attacked Camelot and caused untold destruction." Merlin then pauses and speaks with the authority of the Dragonlord. "I will inform him of this. But know that if he chooses to not accept your reluctance, I will side with him, and you two will meet."

8888

"If he truly cared then he should lift the Ban right now!" Mordred says to Merlin while the two are sitting on a log around a druid campfire.  
  
"Now? While he is only a Prince." Merlin says with a bit of shock in his voice.  
  
"Yes, now! If he cared he should change the situation." Mordred exclaims loudly.  
  
Merlin just looks at him, shaking his head. "Mordred, he can't! He doesn't have the authority and if King Uther discovered it he would overrule it at best and at worse he would imprison or banish his son. Its a risk we cannot take."  
  
"But he is the King's only son, why couldn't he do it." Mordred asks with a little less fierceness.  
  
'Maybe he is willing to listen,' Merlin thinks to himself before speaking about it. "He might be the son and heir of the King, but he is not the King. The Ban is a Royal decree and can only be removed through Royal Writ. Which only the King, the reigning King, has."  
  
Aleyn, one of the elder druids in the camp who had been nearby speaks. "If the Prince were to make such a statement now it would be testament to open insurrection against his father. No King could abide that." He looks at Merlin. "Knowing Uther's distaste for magic there are a number of possible reactions he could have, most of them incredibly horrible."  
  
Merlin takes up the dialog. "Most of them would either lead to Arthur's death, attempted death, or exile." He breaths in and out, as the possibilities run over him. "He won't fight Uther, and he will order me to not either. Though I would disobey in order to protect him, it would loose so much of the good will we have established between ourselves."  
  
Aleyn nods at Merlin. "We do not want that. We have waited almost twenty-five years for this moment, what is a few more years. Those who are kin to the Druids know that the time is coming. Prince Arthur sending Merlin here speaks of that."  
  
When he stops Merlin speaks again. "I didn't just come here on my own initiative, but also on the behest and request of Arthur. Though there is no hint of his potential plans he wanted to make sure that the Druids and those aligned with them know of what is to come."  
  
Another voice, this time of an elder women named Brigette, speaks up. "What he is also saying is that we need to make sure those with magic do nothing to hamper his ability to make such a declaration."  
  
Merlin shrugs as they look at him. "Yes, of course. We are selfish enough to want to make our lives a bit easier when we can. The Prince expects a large number of elements to cause him problems and so if we can have at least one not be so bad we are taking it."  
  
Mordred, who has been sitting there listening, speaks up again. "But Morgana is out and about and there is no way for us to get her to stop." Then he pauses as if feeling something from beyond, which is possible as he does have magic. "Not that she would believe it or even stop if she did."  
  
It is Aleyn who answers. "You are quite right. She will do her thing and her attacks won't stop till Uther, Arthur, and Emrys are all dead. She is blind in her hatred. But she is not the only sorcerer out there in Albion, and if our knowing of the Prince's plans can stop others, well there is victory."  
  
Merlin nods firmly. "The Prince will keep his promise. Upon his rise to the Crown he will begin the process of repealing the Ban. The morning after the Crown settles upon his head he will speak to the Archbishop, his senior army officials, and nobles of certain standings so they know what will come. His plans are to announce it publicly three months after, in his first public speech during the coronation ceremony."  
  
Mordred opens his mouth, and all could see that he is going to ask 'why not immediately' but before he can speak Brigette speaks. "Before you go wondering boy on the timing, it is both logical and smart!" She says matter of factly with wisdom in her voice. "To do it immediately means nobody knows about it, and that would be bad. But if he waits to announce it publicly till he is able to tell his knights and officers and lords, control can be established."  
  
Aleyn nods firmly at that. "Yes, it is quite smart and the best move he could make in fact. I bet he has his Knights, men whose loyalty and honor cannot be questioned, being the ones to do it."  
  
Merlin then laughs suddenly. "Oh yes, very much so. In fact he will also be sending Knightly envoys to each Druid camp we have official records of." He then points his finger at both Aleyn and Bridgette. "You and all the rest will have to pretend to be shocked and awed at the action of the new King. None of this acting like you knew it!" The group laughs at that, of course there was going to be a bit of theatrical performance upon the repealing of the Ban.  
  
At that point the pots are rung to indicate that its time for dinner which ends the conversation for now. As distracted as they were by the conversation none of them had extended their senses out to the magical aethers. For if they had they would have seen a slow reweaving of the fate and destiny of both Arthur and Mordred. For Mordred, his dark future started to lighten, becoming a much longer and in most ways happier future than it otherwise would have been. For Arthur, the change was a little more difficult to see for it changed who was fated to be the one to strike the mortal blow against him.  
  
8888  
  
"See, you should have trusted me. I told you the meeting with Arthur wouldn't be that bad, and it wasn't." Merlin actually laughs at this. "I do believe that out of both of us I know him more than you do."  
  
Kilgharrah sighs, a weird sound coming from the ancient dragon. "Yes, young warlock, you were right." He shifts his body gaining size and majesty. "But do not expect such a comment from me that often."  
  
"No, not at all. Anyway, that is not why I came to speak to you today."  
  
"Then why did you come?"  
  
"Mordred knows that Arthur knows about my magic." Seeing the dragon's look. "It is not as bad as it seems, not at all. Mordred knows that Arthur accepts my magic, that he hasn't killed me yet. But he also knows that Arthur cannot do anything till he is King." Merlin sighs at that. "Which I feel -" with an emphasize on the magical nature of the feeling, "- is going to come upon us soon."  
  
Kilgharrah nods and a bit of billowing smoke come from his nose. "Yes. That seems to be what fate has so assigned him." Here he glares at Merlin. "Though destiny did not plan for you to give him will!"  
  
Merlin shrugs. "No matter what I think of Uther, Arthur loves him and letting him go out with a conquest was better than him fading away. Anyway, he was out of Camelot for months which let Arthur rule the city as king in all but name."  
  
"You are playing with fate and destiny young warlock, you should be careful."  
  
Merlin actually laughs directly in the face of Kilgharrah. "Please, playing with fate and destiny is what we do as a matter of course. I will not let either control us if I find alternatives more suitable. Our soul gives us free will, and I intend to use that right when I feel it is for the best." He stops for a moment. "That wasn't the point, and I have no wish to argue about that which I did. But Mordred now knows and understands why Arthur cannot lift the ban till he is king."  
  
"And will the Prince lift the ban upon the start of his reign."  
  
"He says he will, and I trust that he will keep his word. He will publicly announce it in his coronation speech three months after he becomes King. He will use the time between his crowning and the speech to get word out to the Church, his armies, and the nobles that need to become aware of it."  
  
~~~


End file.
